Tuesday, January 8, 2013

iPhone 4S review: Fast 4ward

iPhone 4S review: Fast 4ward

iPhone 4S owners, this is between you and your phone's inner voice - Siri. iPhone 4 owners, this is between you and your inner voice. Yes, we know your inner voice is telling you to go for the NEXT iPhone. And no, we're not telling you not to listen to it. Just hang on. Maybe this review will help.

But let's go back and start at the beginning. Every year, a new iPhone is raising the bar for the industry. Usually, it's half a point up - a full point on special occasions. The iPhone 4 was such a special occasion. The iPhone 4S is the half-point type. There probably is nothing special about it. At least, not on the outside.

No, we didn't mean that. The iPhone 4S is still one of the best looking smartphones we've seen. There's just nothing new on the outside to suggest the amount of work done on the innards. And the iOS 5 is only half of the story.

The iPhone 4S is promoted to the dual-core league and has more powerful graphics. There's a major boost to imaging too, with 8MP stills and 1080p video. And on top of it all, Apple try to take voice recognition to a new level with Siri. All in all, the iPhone 4S is a completely different phone under the hood. A brand new device that has been developed for months.

No file transfer over Bluetooth or USB Mass Storage mode (independent from iTunes)

No FM radio

No stereo speakers

No microSD card slot

Non-user-replaceable battery

Siri still a beta, location services not enabled outside US

Stuck with iTunes for loading content

On the other hand, it’s a phone you've already seen. You probably have it in the pocket as we speak. And the list of cons does sound familiar, doesn't it? Ah, there you go. We knew you’d notice. The last thing Apple needed was another Antennagate – and as far as we can tell, they’ve had it sorted out.

Apple will probably let this one slip by with a shy, almost apologetic, “Don’t mention it”. But they’ll certainly feel entitled to at least some gratitude for the other stuff in the new iPhone 4S. Things like the dual core CPU and upgraded GPU, iOS 5 and iCloud integration, the new cameraphone credentials and Siri, the she-Jeeves of the digital age.

The iPhone 4S is here, and ready for our traditional hardware checkup. Follow us on the next page where we intend to fast-forward through the familiar design. Just don’t put money on it. It’s a phone we may fall back in love with before we know it.